Automatic vending-machine.



' PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

No. 758,110. PATBNTED APR. 2 6, 1904.

' f R. SGHLEMM- .AUTQMATIG VENDING MACHINE.

PPLIUATION FILED JUNE 19.1903. v l0 MODEL. 1 2 SHEET-SHBBTZ.

.kif j interior mechanism, the container, and the 'view of the coin-controlled and actuating No. 758,119.y

UNITED STATES-f Patented April 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.,

ROBERT SCHLEMM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

i AUTOMATIC VENDING-NIAOHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of 'Letters Patent No. 758,110, dated April S, 1904,

Appiiman nea im 19, 190s.

T0 all whom, it indy concern."

lBe it known that I, ROBERT SCHLEMM, a citizen of the United States, residing atChicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coin-controlled automatic vending apparatus, and the particular objects of the improvements embodied therein are the production of an apparatus of comparatively simple construction whereby it maybe cheaply constructed and will notbe' liable to get out of order from the manipulations and abuse to which such machines are ordinarilysubjected; the production of a machine of this class in which the articles vended may be placed therein without special or orderly arrangement and in large quantities and which will deliver the articles singly and with certainty; to provide means for manipulatinga sounding device, said means at the same time causing the delivery of the article vended, and to produce an apparatus having generally objects of utility and desirability not possessed by other machines of the same class.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, Figure l is a perspective view ofmy apparatus complete, Fig. 2 is a top plan view, Von an enlarged scale, with the cover removed. Fig. 3 is a top plan mechanism. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 5 is'aview, partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the interior of the machine.

Referring to the details of the drawings, A represents a box made of sheet metal and having a base c', sides c2, and a top a3, which may be connected together in any suitable manner, whereby authorized access may be had to the coin box or receiver. Surmounting the box A is'the figure of a sitting hen, as B, which is also preferably `made' ofl metaland is rigidly secured to the topv of the box. "In the front side of the box is a coin-slot ai, and near the base is an opening through which projects a delivery trough or cup C, which is made of Serial No. 162,161. (No model.)

metal and has its rear portion c extending inwardly and upwardly toward the center of the apparatus for the purpose of receiving the articles vended. I n this instance the articles vended are artificial eggs and same are indicatedA by dotted lines in Fig. 4 and will be hereinafter referred to as eggs.

Extending across the lower portion of the vbox A andspaced above the base a', so as to form substantially a false bottom for the box, is an iron plate D, which is supported from the base in any suitable manner and in turn supports the operative parts of the device. `The space between the base and the plate D is in part utilized by the coin-box E, the trough C, and a noise-producing device or squawker F, the latter being of the well-known bellows type and adapted to produce sounds in imitation of the cackling of a hen. Arranged on the plate D arethe parts which through the medium ofA vthe coin and the Vmanually-operated lever, as will be set forth in detail, cause the'eggs to be delivered from the hopper to the deliverytrough. Said parts are as follows: A castmetal plate Cr of the irregular contour shown is pivotally mounted on the central portion of the plate D. Said plate Cr is formed with a tapering extension g' with a cut-'ol'lt portion g2, which forms shoulders g3 and g4 at opposite ends thereof, with a rounded lug g5, a cutunder portion g, a straight edge g?, and a. ,hook g8, .said edge and hook being on au overhanging portion g, while 71 represents the pivot on which said plate is mounted. 'Io the upper side of the cut-under portion g6 is secured one end 4of a coil-spring H, the opposite end of which it attached to a set-screw i, which is fixed to the Vplatev G. /Secured to the upper side of the plate G near the shoulder g3 is the lever J, the forward portion of which projects through anopening provided therefor in the front side of the box and terminates in a ring y", and the rear end terminates in a downwardly-turned hook f/'2. rIhe central portion of the plate Gr is cut out and within the'space thus left is placed a wheel K, in the periphery of which are formed series of teeth is and from the upper surface of which extend fixed pins 42. In the center of the 'wheel is secured a shaft or rod L, which is adapted to rotate with the wheel and is provided with a suitable bearing in the top of the box to maintain it in a vertical position and prevent lateral movements. Mounted on the plate D is a pawl 7c3, the point of which is normally held in engagement with the periphery of the wheel by a spring ist, secured to a screw In, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Near the extension g of the plate Gr on aI pivot m' ismounted a lever M, the forward and short arm of which terminates in a hook m2, and-the rear portion of which is formed with an angular shoulder m3 and terminates in an angular portion mi. Near the lever.M is a secondlever N, which is pivotally mounted on the pin n', has its forward portion terminating in a hook n2 and its rear portion curved and terminating in a rounded portion n3. The relative positions 'of the levers M and N are fixed when the parts are at rest by a two-arm spring O, secured to a pin o, fixed in the plate D and having one arm secured loosely in a lug n* on the upper side of the lever N and the other arm similarly secured l in a lug m5 on the upper side of the lever M,

all as clearly indicated in Fig. 3, in which the parts are shown at rest. Secured to the plate D ata point between the forward arms of the levers M and N is a post P, which serves primarily as a support for the coin-chute R, but which also serves to limit the movement of the lever M toward the lever N, and hence maintains a fixed distance between the re-l spective hooks of said levers.

Pivotally mounted on the plate G is an arm S, having a hooked portion s', adapted to engage successively the vertical pins k2 on the wheel K as the latter is rotated and to prevent the reverse rotation of said wheel. A wire spring s2, having one end secured to the lever J and its other end attached loosely to a lug on the upper side of the arm S, holds the latter in constant engagement with said pins.

When a coin is held between the hooks m2 n2, the operation of the above-described mechanism is as follows: The depositor of the coin pullsoutwardly or in the direction indicated by the arrow the lever J', whereupon the plate Gis caused to turn upon its pivot gw in the direction indicated by arrows, thus causing the lug g5 to bear against the rounded end of the lever N, moving the curved arm of .same outwardly and causing a corresponding inward movement of the forward arm of said lever, which in turn presses the coin against the end of the forward arm of the lever M. As the forward end ofthe lever M moves away from the post P the rear end m4 of said lever moves in the opposite direction, thus clearing the shoulder g3 of the plate Gr and permitting the latter to turn upon its axis the full limit of the forward movement of the lever or rod J The arm S moves with the plate Gr, and its hook `but one egg at a time.

s, being in engagement with one of the pins 702 of the wheel K, causes the latter to be partially rotated, and hence turns the post or shaft L. When the operator releases the lever J, the spring H, acting upon the plate G, returns the parts to their initial positions, it being understood that the coin has dropped from between theA hooked ends of the levers M N by reason of the spreading apart of the latter. The pawl if by engaging the teeth 7c' prevents the reverse movement of the wheel. Henceanother pin k2 is brought into operative relation with the hooked arm S in a manner clearly indicated by the drawings. In the forward or outward movement ofthe lever J, above described, the hooked end which is in engagement with an extension f of the bellows of the squawker F, infiates said bellows, thus drawing in the air, the immediately following emission of which causes the desired cackling noise, it being understood that the collapse of the bellows is permitted by the return of the lever J to its initial position.

Supported above the plate D is a circular pan T, in the bottom and side of which is an opening t, which communicates with the rear portion o of the trough C. Arranged in the `pan- T and secured on the shaft L by a collar and set-screw t* is an egg-receiver 252, which is 'subdivided into a series of compartments t3,

each of which is just large enough to receive This receiver is without top or bottom and serves as a continuation or extension of the hopper V, the lower portion of which registers with the said receiver. The hopper is supported on posts 'u2 and at the portion directly over the opening t in the pan T is provided with an apron c, which serves to prevent any of the eggs from falling directly from the hopper through said opening into the trough without rst traversing the compartments of the receiver. It will be seen that as the shaft L is turned in the manner heretofore set forth the receiver is partially rotated, so that one of the compartments in the latter is brought directly over the opening t and the entrance of the` trough, thus permitting the egg in said compartment to fall by gravity into the trough. The eggs are simply poured into the hopper and are yfed by gravity into the compartments 153, the sides of the hopper being inclined downwardly and converging, so that the bottom of the hopper extends slightly over the outer edge of the receiver.

The coin-chute Ris placed directly over the coin-box E and is of the usual or well-known construction.

It will be understood that as the plate Gr returns to its original position the shoulder g4 strikes against the' adjacent rounded portion of the lever M and thereby throws outwardly the forward end of said lever, thus releasing the coin, which up to that time has been held between the notches or jaws m2 n2.

Having thus described my invention, what IOO I claim as new, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vending-machine having rotatablyvmounted discharge devices, coin-controlled means for operating said devices, said means consisting of a pivotally-mounted plate,` a

consisting of a wheel adapted to rotate in but one direction, of a pivoted plate adapted to rotate said wheel, a lever secured to said vplate and manually operable and means for locking and releasing saidV plate, said means consisting of pivoted levers arranged with two of their arms opposite and spaced apart and adaptedto hold by frictional engagement a coin, and having their other ends normally in engagement'with portions of the said plate.

3. In a vending-machine, arotatably-mount ed wheel having inclined teeth in its periphery, means engaging said teeth to prevent the rotation of the wheel in but one direction, a pivotally-Inounted plate adapted to rotate the said wheel and provided with shoulders, a lever secured to said plate and manually operated, levers pivotally mounted, and having portions engaging the shoulders on said plate to prevent the movement of the latter, said levers having other portions adapted to receive and holda coin in frictional engagement, and means for returning the plate to its normal position. v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. L

ROBERT SCHLEMM. Witnesses WM. B. MOORE, F. BENJAMIN. 

